Friday, October 30, 2009

Paranoia

I've never lived in a city before. Even though I am reassured that Paris is a safe place by lots of people, I get the shivers when I walk home alone at night sometimes, even if my neighborhood is probably among the safest in Paris. Maybe I'm paranoid, but in my experience, better to be paranoid than to be naive. So my advice for walking around Paris after midnight, don't gawk at people, wear something that doesn't bear all, be around people you know, and speak french! Every time I've been approached negatively it's because I'm speaking English. Just use your judgement. Don't go home with that cute guy or girl at the bar the first time you meet him or her. Don't talk back to someone who is harassing you. And don't drink so much you don't even know what arrondissement you are in. I don't want to chide you all, I just want to give some advice.

I have no limits in Paris. I can go out whenever I want, I can be with whoever I want. Its not Smith though. You can walk back home through downtown noho at 3 in the morning and you might see one person, and they will say goodnight nicely. In Paris, you walk home at 3 in the morning and you have men walking next to you trying to get you to sleep with them or calling you une sale pute. Being abroad is fabulous, but don't forget the things that could happen if you let yourself go too much! Think of the repercussions, we are women in a city we can't control...

No comments:

Post a Comment